This Peer Recognition program honors those forensic nurses that are active members of the Association. Many of whom help by providing preventive services, policy development, influencing legislation, and collaborating with other healthcare, social services, and criminal justice system professionals to enhance the care of their patients.

Albers if the Clinical Nurse Coordinator for HaysMed’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)/Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) program. She has been an Associate of HaysMed since 2010.

Hospitals, EMS collaborate to ‘save lives’

Every minute matters. That is the stance area hospitals and paramedics have taken when it comes to quickly diagnosing and treating patients suffering from heart attacks or strokes.

This is the third year of a regional collaborative led by the University of Kansas Medical Center that seeks to improve rural health care for those patients and reduce death rates and health-care costs.

“There is a chain of survival, and everybody’s got their part to play in that,” said Lillian Slater, assistant director of Ellis County EMS. “We always say strengthening one link will not make the chain any stronger. You have to get all the different parts working.”

The collaborative consists of 14 northwest Kansas hospitals, including Hays Medical Center, which has worked closely with KU Med in collecting data and administering the program, said Carol Groen, manager for clinical certifications and special projects at HaysMed.

The Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative, launched with a three-year, $12.5 million grant, seeks to reduce cardiac-related deaths in rural communities by 20 percent. Another goal is to cut health-care costs by $13.8 million, according to the program’s website.

So far, the results have been promising, Groen said, noting critical patients are accessing life-saving care more quickly.

First on scene

Improving communication between all of the agencies involved in a patient’s care has been a key initiative. HaysMed, as well as other regional hospitals, has worked closely with its local EMS provider to establish an “alert” system that expedites care for stroke and heart-attack patients.

If a heart attack is suspected, Ellis County paramedics have the technology and training to administer and interpret EKG, or stress tests, in the ambulance en route to HaysMed. If that test indicates cardiac distress, paramedics send the results to the hospital and call to inform emergency staff that patient is coming.

HaysMed, in turn, is able to prepare necessary staff and equipment before the patient even arrives for treatment. That saves precious time, as the goal is to get critical patients into the cath lab for surgery within 90 minutes of first contact with paramedics. HaysMed, in reality, averages only 61 minutes, Groen said.

“For the heart patient, when we get that pre-notification, it gets us to be able to call in our cath lab team, even if it’s 2 a.m. or 5 a.m. It seems like a lot of these things happen after hours,” Groen said. “We have time to call our crew in before the ambulance is here, before the patient is here, which gives them a 10-minute head start.”

Stroke patients can be more difficult to identify, as symptoms can be more subtle and vary from person to person. If a stroke is suspected, paramedics quickly conduct a FAST test on a patient, which checks for drooping facial features and slurred speech, as well as the patient’s ability to hold arms out evenly.

It’s also important to determine the exact time the stroke might have began, as clot-busting medications must be given within approximately four hours, Groen said. Most stroke patients do not qualify for surgical intervention.

“Again, both stroke and (heart attacks) are time sensitive,” she said. “If the heart muscle gets damaged, it’s very difficult for it to regenerate and function again, but the brain doesn’t.”

While EMS have a large role to play in the “chain of survival,” it actually begins with the patient. The initiative also strives to improve public education of heart attack and stroke symptoms, so patients know to call for help when they are in need. HaysMed and EMS have worked together to distribute educational materials at community events.

“I think the rapport between EMS and the hospital is good. I think that is very important in the continuity of patient care,” Slater said. “It used to be, when I first started 30 years ago, there wasn’t a lot of communication between the two. We did our job; they did their job and that was it. And now it’s like everything is a collaborative.”

Dispatch is another important piece of the puzzle, and emergency operators can notify EMS immediately if the patient suspects a heart attack or stroke, Slater said.

Residents are strongly encouraged to call an ambulance if they suspect they are having symptoms of a stroke or heart attack. This allows them to access care faster, which can minimize the amount of damage.

It also ensures help is present during the commute in case the patient experiences distress. Symptoms sometimes can turn out to have benign causes, but when it comes to coronary syndromes, it’s better to be safe than sorry, Slater said.

“We all have to be on board that (heart attack and stroke) is a possibility. It’s going to happen,” she said. “We’d rather have (someone call and experience benign symptoms) than have someone slip though and not get the treatment they need.”

Going the distance

Time becomes even more of a challenge in remote areas of northwest Kansas, as distance from a tertiary care facility increases.

Protocols have been implemented at many regional hospitals as part of the collaborative, seeking to ensure all coronary patients receive the same standard of care and are transported to Hays as quickly as possible.

“There’s a lot of miles out here in rural Kansas,” Groen said. “And there’s a lot of difficulty sometimes getting transportation.”

Participating hospitals have been trained to conduct a stress test as soon as possible, even before the patient is taken off of the ambulance cot. If the test shows a potentially life-threatening heart blockage, rural hospitals also have been equipped to give clot-busting drugs before transporting the patient.

In stroke cases, a CT scan is taken as quickly as possible to determine if a patient qualifies for medical treatment.

That has proven effective, and in many cases, patients’ symptoms are resolved before they arrive in Hays, Groen said.

“They would go to the lab, and a lot of times the clot is dissolved and they do wonderful,” Groen said. “In preceding years, there was a lot of hesitancy in giving this drug. They just wanted to get them to a cath lab. But all that time without anything was just causing too much damage to the heart.”

Rooks County Health Center in Plainville is among the rural hospitals involved in the initiative. The protocols have allowed every patient to be treated the same, regardless of geography, said Pam Harman, chief nursing officer at RCHC.

“It’s saving lives,” she said. “We may not be a big hospital, but our patients deserve the same care. We do everything we can on our end to make sure we’re holding up our part of the bargain.”

The protocols were implemented with input from area physicians and have helped expedite care for rural patients by establishing clear guidelines.

“We have guidelines on what medications to give right away, so we don’t have to wait for doctors to say this is a heart attack, so get an EKG and aspirin,” Harman said. “We already have standing orders so we can do those things. It speeds up our time.”

Regional hospitals also communicate with HaysMed to notify a patient is coming so staff can prepare for prompt response.

The initiative has proven so successful that a second program is in the works to improve sepsis outcomes. RCHC is playing a significant role in that endeavor, she said.

It becomes even more important for patients to recognize their symptoms and call an ambulance immediately when they are located a great distance from a cath lab and face a long commute. Paramedics also are trained to do everything they can to help save time by preparing a patient for examination and surgery when they arrive in Hays, Slater said, noting Ellis County EMS has seen “excellent time frames” when transporting patients.

“Our goal is to get them there, and how can we do that and how can we shave minutes off,” she said. “It can be something as simple as, if we’re coming from Ellis and so we have that extra time, getting their clothes off (for surgery.) … If it takes two minutes, that’s two minutes you don’t need to lose.”

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Ellis County Health Department (ECHD) have identified one confirmed case of mumps in an Ellis County, Kansas resident. ECHD is working with KDHE to determine where the person may have contracted the disease.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. After the introduction of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, mumps became less common in the United States. From year to year, mumps cases can range from roughly a couple hundred to a couple thousand. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 4,258 cases have been reported in the U.S. as of December 3, 2016, and seven states have reported more than 100 cases. Mumps outbreaks are ongoing in the nearby states of Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

Mumps typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands. Mumps can occasionally cause complications, including inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, meningitis, or encephalitis. Most people with mumps recover completely in a few weeks.

Mumps spreads through saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose, or throat. An infected person can spread the virus by

coughing, sneezing, or talking,

sharing items, such as cups or eating utensils, with others, and

touching objects or surfaces with unwashed hands that are then touched by others.

Mumps likely spreads two days before the salivary glands begin to swell and up to five days after the swelling begins.

First and foremost, if you think you or a family member have the symptoms of mumps listed above and you need to visit your healthcare provider, call ahead so appropriate measures can be taken to protect other patients and staff. The clinic will arrange for you to be seen in an environment to minimize exposure of others to the disease.

In addition to staying away from others when you have mumps, you can help prevent the virus from spreading by

Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and put your used tissue in the trash can. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.

MMR vaccine prevents most, but not all, cases of mumps and complications caused by the disease. People who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are about nine times less likely to get mumps than unvaccinated people who have the same exposure to mumps virus. However, some people who receive two doses of MMR can still get mumps, especially if they have prolonged, close contact with someone who has the disease. If a vaccinated person does get mumps, they will likely have less severe illness than an unvaccinated person.

“The best way to reduce your chance of getting the disease is by being vaccinated. Protect children by making sure they have the MMR vaccine when they are 12 to 15 months old, and again before they enter kindergarten,” said Kerry McCue, Ellis County Health Department Director.

If someone was born after 1957 and has not received the recommended dose of the MMR vaccine, you can contact the Ellis County Health Department (785) 628-9440 or your primary care provider.

The Ellis County Health Department is working closely with KDHE and our local healthcare partners to monitor those individuals affected by this case and to identify contacts that may need to receive medical evaluation.

Criteria for the award includes commitment to healthy lifestyle choices and motivating others to do the same, displaying an energetic passion for promoting health and wellness and striving to build a culture of wellness at HaysMed.

Garcia has been exposed to good role models her whole life, noting that her parents were very active and her husband was a college athlete. Over the years Tara has remained active; however it wasn’t until she joined and worked at The Center for Health Improvement that she was introduced to many new activities that she continues to enjoy. These activities include running, biking, personal training and attending group fitness classes. She has even participated in half marathons, several 5Ks and taught spinning classes.

Her fellow Associates noted that she is a health/fitness motivator, always sharing healthy food options and activities with her coworkers. When they have office potlucks, she always recommends healthier options. She is also a strong advocate of no smoking and promotes smoking cessation programs. She is a great spokesperson for wellness at HaysMed.

Garcia says she stays motivated because of her mother who has MS, which limited her ability to continue to exercise. “It was difficult to see someone who was so active go to a sedentary life-style in a few short years. Because of this, I truly understand and appreciate the need to remain physically active.”

Garcia also noted that the added benefits of exercise include relieving stress, more energy and better sleep. Tara shares with her children the importance of regular physical activity and continues to lead by example.

“We have many Associates at HaysMed that are incredible role models for leading a healthy lifestyle,” said Stephanie Howie, Fitness Director of CHI. “We hope recognizing their efforts will encourage others to adopt a healthier approach to living.”

Garcia is the Office Manager at Southwind Surgical and has has been an Associate of HaysMed for 20 years.

HAYS, Kansas The HaysMed Foundation has announced a new endowed fund established with a $25,000 gift from Nex-Tech Wireless. As a permanent endowed fund, the gift is invested and the earnings from the Nex-Tech Wireless Endowment will be used to provide funding for special projects at the medical center.

“Nex-Tech Wireless is committed to ongoing support to ensure quality healthcare is available in Western Kansas where our customers and employees live,” stated Jon Lightle, President and CEO for Nex-Tech Wireless. “HaysMed is the only medical center in our region that provides many of the specialized services such as cancer and cardiac care. Investing in HaysMed helps ensure it continues to be a strong healthcare facility.”

“Endowed gifts are crucial in helping us build a solid foundation of funds that will provide consistent funding for current and future healthcare expenses,” stated Dr. John Jeter, HaysMed President and CEO. “Nex-Tech Wireless is a visionary company that understands the importance of keeping quality patient care close to home. We appreciate their generosity support of HaysMed.”

Nex-Tech Wireless is a wireless provider offering high-tech wireless solutions to residents in 40 counties of central and western Kansas as well as local coverage to 4 counties in Colorado. Nex-Tech Wireless focuses on providing its customers cutting edge technology including data and mobile services, as well as the latest wireless equipment and competitive wireless plans that provide nationwide coverage.

The HaysMed Foundation was formed in 1995 and is a charitable, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support HaysMed. The Foundation, in partnership with donors, seeks to meet both immediate and long- range health care needs of the people of Western Kansas. An 18-member volunteer board guides the efforts of the Foundation. Donations can be sent to the HaysMed Foundation, 2220 Canterbury Drive, Hays, Ks. 67601 or by visiting www.haysmedfoundation.org/donate.

Hays, Kansas (Feb 17, 2017). The High 5 for Mom and Baby program HaysMed has received recognition renewal for another year. HaysMed originally received the initial recognition in 2014 and were the fifth hospital in Kansas to receive this designation. Hospitals are now required to renew on an annual basis.

The High 5 program — initiated, funded, and provided at no charge to Kansas hospitals by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund — is based on five key hospital practices crucial for a successful breastfeeding experience.

The five best practices comprising the High 5 for Mom & Baby standards are: • assuring immediate, sustained skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby after birth; • giving newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated; • allowing “rooming in” so mothers and infants can remain together 24 hours a day; • not giving pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants; and • providing mothers options for breastfeeding support in the community.

“Our staff’s ongoing commitment to excellence in maternity care reassures parents planning to breastfeed that they will be in the best possible hands.” Said Jessica Seib, RN/BSN, IBCLC, OB/Peds Staff Development Coordinator. The benefits to breastfeeding offer numerous health benefits for mothers and babes which last a lifetime.

Seib noted that they have expanded their lactation services to include two RNs who are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and established an outpatient lactation clinic where mothers who are having breastfeeding challenges can come for additional support once they have been dismissed.

As a part of this redesignation, the High 5 program reaffirms its commitment to supporting HaysMed through technical assistance and learning opportunities to ensure that the staff skills continue to improve while safeguarding the best outcomes for the moms and babies.

HAYS, Kan. (Feb 14, 2017) The Center for Health Improvement at HaysMed will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this month with a series of events highlighting fifteen years of making a difference in the Hays Community. The public can attend all group fitness classes for free from February 20–25. On Tuesday, February 21 the community is invited to utilize the facility at no charge. Saturday, February 25, The Center will be offering free throwback fitness classes, come and go from 9 am – 11am in the gymnasium.

In honor of the 15th anniversary, The Center is offering a special $15 health enrollment fee for anyone joining The Center in 2017. No agreement is required, but monthly dues still apply.

It’s been 15 years since the Center for Health Improvement opened its doors as the first medically integrated fitness center in Kansas. The HaysMed governing board approved The Center in September 2000, ground breaking was in November of that same year and the fitness center opened in February 2002.

In 2002, the concept of medically integrated fitness centers was relatively new in the United States. Dr. John Jeter, President and CEO of HaysMed was an instrumental force in moving this project forward. “HaysMed is very fortunate to have one of the most premier medical fitness facilities in the country,” he said. “Medically integrated health and fitness centers are defining the future of professionally administered programs and services to an aging population and are improving outcomes for clients/patients with chronic disease and multi risk factors.”

The Center of Health Improvement is not just a gym. It is a premier health facility that continues to set the standard for disease prevention, exercise, rehabilitation and health education. It is the only certified medical fitness center in the state and is recognized by the Medical Fitness Association.

The Center offers group fitness and aquatics classes, led by certified instructors. Classes are available to accommodate the beginner to the experienced; and also for specific populations

The Aquatics center offers arthritis classes in a warm water therapy pool, water aerobics, prenatal water classes, and water yoga.

The Center, a 94,000 square foot facility, houses a full court gymnasium, aquatic center, indoor track, play center, and two levels of cardio and weight machines. Services available at The Center include medical exercise services, nutrition/weight management, massage, personal training and wellness coaching.

Clinical services that are available include Cardiac Rehab, Outpatient Rehabilitation, Sleep Center and Neurodiagnotics, Southwind Surgical and Hays Orthopedic Institute.

The Center has eyes to the future. “It’s vital for health systems to continue to prepare for the ongoing changes in the nation’s healthcare system under healthcare reform, said Stephanie Howie, Fitness Director. “The Center has positioned itself well to play an integral role in helping people stay well, keeping them out of the hospital and preventing unnecessary readmissions.”

HAYS, Kansas ¾ Bank of Hays recently established an endowed fund with the HaysMed Foundation with a gift of $25,000. The Bank of Hays Endowment is a fund in which the gift is permanently invested and the earnings used to provide funding for special projects at the medical center.

“The Bank of Hays is always interested in being involved with projects that benefit the people in our region and the local economy,” said John Clarke, Bank of Hays President. “The Endowment fund that we established will assist departments at HaysMed in obtaining equipment or help fund programs that will improve patient care now and in the future. As a community bank, it is important for us to support quality healthcare close to home.”

“Bank of Hays continually demonstrates its commitment to make Western Kansas a great place to live and do business,” stated Dr. John Jeter, HaysMed President and CEO. “We truly appreciate the generosity of the bank in establishing this endowment. With the cost of providing healthcare continuing to grow, philanthropic support is critical to ensure the best possible medical care continues to be available to our patients.”

Locally owned and managed, Bank of Hays offers full service commercial, agricultural and household banking. The Bank has branches in Hanston (Hanston State Bank), Jetmore (The Farmers State Bank of Jetmore) and Lewis (Bank of Lewis).

The HaysMed Foundation was formed in 1995 and is a charitable, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support HaysMed. The Foundation, in partnership with donors, seeks to meet both immediate and long- range health care needs of the people of Western Kansas. An 18-member volunteer board guides the efforts of the Foundation. Donations can be sent to the HaysMed Foundation, 2220 Canterbury Drive, Hays, Ks. 67601 or by visiting www.haysmedfoundation.org/donate.

Hays, Kansas (Feb 6, 2017) – It may take only a few minutes, but for the victim of sudden cardiac arrest, it can be the event of a lifetime.

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes about 250,000 adults in the United States annually. More than 95 percent of its victims die before reaching a hospital – many because they don’t receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation in time. Defibrillation is a process in which an electronic device gives an electric shock to the heart to help restore the heart’s normal rhythm.

To help improve those odds, the HaysMed DeBakey Heart Institute and the Hays Medical Center Foundation will hold its 16th annual Staying Alive Hands Only CPR Training on Saturday, March 4, at the Center for Health Improvement at Hays Medical Center. During the day, the Institute hopes to train over 200 people for free in its Family and Friends CPR course. The one and one half hour class is designed for members of the general public, eight years and older; and is not for those seeking professional certification. More than 30 certified instructors and volunteers will donate their time to the event.

Classes in adult and pediatric CPR will be offered at 10:00 am am. To register, call 1-800-248-0073, ext 5500 or 785-623-5500 or go to https://www.haysmed.com/education/

“If more people know how to perform CPR, it naturally increases the probability that victims of cardiac arrest would receive CPR more timely—when it can still make a difference,” said Bryce Young, Vice President of Operations at Hays Medical Center.

When performed immediately, CPR may double a cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival by adding critical minutes to a patient’s life. With CPR, breathing and chest compressions circulate oxygenated blood to the brain, heart and other vital organs until defibrillation is performed.

Cardiac arrest survival is directly linked to the amount of time between the onset of sudden cardiac arrest and defibrillation. Chances of survival drop 7-10 percent with every minute of delay. Brain death starts to occur in just four to six minutes

Seventy-five to 80 percent of all sudden cardiac arrests happen at home, so knowing how to perform (CPR) can mean the difference between life and death for a loved one, according to the American Heart Association.

HAYS, Kansas – Emprise Bank and the HaysMed Foundation announce the creation of the Emprise Bank Endowment with a gift of $25,000. The Endowment is a permanent endowed fund that will provide much-needed funding for capital equipment.

“We’re pleased to work with HaysMed to bolster health care in the Hays, Ellis County, and Western Kansas communities,” said Wayne Woofter, President of Emprise Bank. “At Emprise, we want to make a difference in people’s lives and give generously in the spirit of accomplishing things that makes Kansas stronger. It’s with that spirit we worked with the Foundation to establish this fund.”

Mark McCullick, Senior Vice President at Emprise Bank, joined the Board of Directors at the HaysMed Foundation last year.

“Nothing is as important as your health and the health of your loved ones,” stated McCullick. “We are very fortunate to have a medical center of this caliber for our region. Being on the Foundation’s Board of Directors gives me an opportunity to assist in seeking funds to sustain quality healthcare at HaysMed.”

Endowment gifts are established to provide perpetual support for a project, program, or other needs of HaysMed. The fund is permanently invested with the earnings providing continuous revenue streams for the purpose specified by the donor.

“Emprise Bank has long been a generous donor to many community organizations throughout Kansas,” said HaysMed President and CEO John Jeter, M.D. “This gift continues that tradition in a way that will have a great impact for generations to come in assisting HaysMed with the purchase of needed healthcare equipment to treat the people of our region.”

Founded over 100 years ago, Emprise Bank serves more than 20 communities across Kansas. Emprise Bank is committed to delivering the superb level of service and innovative banking products that have made Emprise the premier community bank in Kansas.

The HaysMed Foundation was formed in 1995 and is a charitable, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support HaysMed. The Foundation, in partnership with donors, seeks to meet both immediate and long- range health care needs of the people of Western Kansas. An 18-member volunteer board guides the efforts of the Foundation. Donations can be sent to the HaysMed Foundation, 2220 Canterbury Drive, Hays, Ks. 67601 or by visiting www.haysmedfoundation.org/donate.